Minggu, 01 Agustus 2021

Coronavirus: New rules for fully jabbed US and EU arrivals begin - BBC News

People in arrivals at Heathrow Airport
PA Media

People who were fully vaccinated in the US or European Union will no longer have to isolate when arriving in the UK from an amber list country.

The rule change comes in across the country from 04:00 BST on Monday.

The UK government has said the change, which was announced last week, will help to reunite family and friends whose loved ones live abroad.

Airline bosses have welcomed the move but are calling for more countries to be added to the UK's green travel list.

Travellers will still need to take either a lateral flow or PCR test pre-departure and a PCR test on the second day after they arrive.

Under-18s will be exempt from isolation, and some will not have to test, depending on their age.

Since 19 July people who have been double-jabbed in the UK have not had to isolate when arriving from amber list countries, but all other travellers are required to quarantine for 10 days when doing so.

Tougher rules also remain in place for France, with travellers still required to quarantine even if they have been double jabbed.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said this will be reviewed at the end of the week.

As part of the changes, international cruise ships will be able to depart from England from Monday - after a 16-month pause.

International cruises have been allowed from Northern Ireland since Saturday.

In a letter to Mr Shapps the leaders of UK airlines described the change as a "positive step" but said they were concerned that the UK aviation sector was not on the path to recovery "due to the continued restrictions that are being imposed on international travel".

They wrote that green status should "increasingly become a default" for countries, citing falling case numbers and the proportion of the UK population now vaccinated.

The airline bosses also warned that the UK aviation industry was "far behind" its European equivalents, with travel bookings at 16% of pre-pandemic levels compared with 60% in Germany and 48% in France.

Meanwhile, Tory MPs have raised concerns about the prospect of a so-called amber watch list of countries that holidaymakers would be warned could move to the red list at short notice.

People coming to the UK from red list countries are required to isolate for 10 days in a government-approved hotel regardless of their vaccine status.

Huw Merriman, chairman of the Transport Select Committee told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour that the potential new travel category would "be viewed as a massive red flag" that would "likely" cause bookings to those countries to "collapse".

He added: "In my view, we don't need any more uncertainty, complexity, or anxiety for passengers, or this beleaguered sector. It just needs clarity. I would urge the government not to do anything with it."

Theresa Villiers, the former environment secretary, told the Times: "The travel sector desperately needs some stability. Getting travel back to more normal levels would give a great boost to the economy. Real progress has been made. Let's not start to reverse that."

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Gemma Appleton (left) with her son and wife
Gemma Appleton

'The first thing I'm going to do is buy a cheese and pickle sandwich'

Gemma Appleton, who lives in Los Angeles, is flying back to the UK in a few weeks with her wife and young baby, so he can meet his grandparents for the first time.

"The minute I heard the announcement I just burst into to tears, we have been waiting for this," she said.

"When my son was born my mum was supposed to fly out to LA to spend some time with us and show us how to be new mums and that didn't happen, she had to cancel her flight. We've just had very limited family time. It's not what I expected."

She added: "The minute that we land I just know that I am going to run into M&S and buy a cheese and pickle sandwich. It's the first thing that I am going to do, I have been craving that for a while now, and then I am going to hug my parents.

"It has just been a moment that we have been waiting for for such a long time, being able to celebrate together. We have all been through a lot in the last 18 months and knowing that we are all going to be together in the same house is just going to be awesome."

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While US citizens will be able to avoid quarantine in the UK they are still being urged not to travel to the UK by their country's health protection agency and the US border is currently closed to many countries, including the UK, except to US citizens.

All arrivals to the UK from the handful of green list countries are not required to self-isolate but must still take a test before departure and on day two after their arrival.

As of Sunday more than 85 million doses of coronavirus vaccine had be administered across the UK, with 88.6% of adults having had at least one jab.

On Sunday the UK reported 24,470 new Covid cases as well as a further 65 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Vaccine rollout graphic
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2021-08-01 23:48:56Z
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Zoom settles US class action privacy lawsuit for $86m - BBC News

A woman attending a Zoom video conferencing meeting
Zoom

Video-conferencing firm Zoom has agreed to pay $86m (£61.9m) to settle a class action privacy lawsuit in the US.

The lawsuit alleged that Zoom had invaded the privacy of millions of users by sharing personal data with Facebook, Google and LinkedIn.

It also accused Zoom of misstating that it offers end-to-end encryption and for failing to prevent hackers from "zoombombing" sessions.

The firm denied any wrongdoing, but has agreed to boost its security practices.

The preliminary settlement, which also includes a provision that Zoom will give its staff specialised training in data handling and privacy, is still subject to approval by US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California.

A Zoom spokesman said: "The privacy and security of our users are top priorities for Zoom, and we take seriously the trust our users place in us.

"We are proud of the advancements we have made to our platform, and look forward to continuing to innovate with privacy and security at the forefront."

The class-action lawsuit, filed in March 2020 in the US District Court in the Northern District of California, is just one of several legal complaints facing the US-based video-conferencing platform.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Zoom Meetings paid subscribers nationwide, as well as free users.

According to the plaintiff's lawyers, US Zoom subscribers generated $1.3bn in revenues for the video-conferencing firm.

Should the proposed settlement be approved, subscribers included in the class action would be eligible for 15% refunds on their subscriptions or $25, whichever is larger, while others could receive up to $15.

The plaintiffs' lawyers also intend to seek $21.3m in legal fees from Zoom.

The video-conferencing firm had asked the court to dismiss the motion in March.

However Judge Koh only granted the dismissal of part of the case pertaining to invasion of privacy and negligence - she allowed the plaintiffs to continue to pursue some claims relating to contracts.

Zoombombing and security concerns

The video-conferencing firm has long been criticised for its approach to its security.

Zoom logo seen displayed on a smartphone with a computer model of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the background.
Getty Images

One key issue that has led to some companies choosing to stop using the platform is the phenomena of "Zoombombing" incidents, where uninvited guests crash meetings to cause problems.

According to the New York Times, in April last year a virtual Chipotle event during the coronavirus lockdown was disrupted when a hacker entered and broadcast pornography to hundreds of attendees.

Zoom has also come under fire for security flaws, including a vulnerability that allowed an attacker to remove attendees from meetings, spoof messages from users and hijack shared screens. Another saw Mac users forced into calls without their knowledge.

On top of this, plaintiffs of the lawsuit accused the platform of misrepresenting its encryption protocol - transport encryption - as end-to-end encryption.

This means Zoom can access the video and audio of meetings, rather than the meeting's participants being the only ones able to decrypt communications.

However, since April 2020, the BBC understands that Zoom has undertaken a substantial amount of work to address security and privacy concerns through app updates, including the introduction of end-to-end encryption and more than 100 features related to privacy, safety and security.

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2021-08-01 22:34:26Z
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Zoom settles US class action privacy lawsuit for $86m - BBC News

A woman attending a Zoom video conferencing meeting
Zoom

Video-conferencing firm Zoom has agreed to pay $86m (£61.9m) to settle a class action privacy lawsuit in the US.

The lawsuit alleged that Zoom had invaded the privacy of millions of users by sharing personal data with Facebook, Google and LinkedIn.

It also accused Zoom of misstating that it offers end-to-end encryption and for failing to prevent hackers from "zoombombing" sessions.

The firm denied any wrongdoing, but has agreed to boost its security practices.

The preliminary settlement, which also includes a provision that Zoom will give its staff specialised training in data handling and privacy, is still subject to approval by US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California.

A Zoom spokesman said: "The privacy and security of our users are top priorities for Zoom, and we take seriously the trust our users place in us.

"We are proud of the advancements we have made to our platform, and look forward to continuing to innovate with privacy and security at the forefront."

The class-action lawsuit, filed in March 2020 in the US District Court in the Northern District of California, is just one of several legal complaints facing the US-based video-conferencing platform.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Zoom Meetings paid subscribers nationwide, as well as free users.

According to the plaintiff's lawyers, US Zoom subscribers generated $1.3bn in revenues for the video-conferencing firm.

Should the proposed settlement be approved, subscribers included in the class action would be eligible for 15% refunds on their subscriptions or $25, whichever is larger, while others could receive up to $15.

The plaintiffs' lawyers also intend to seek $21.3m in legal fees from Zoom.

The video-conferencing firm had asked the court to dismiss the motion in March.

However Judge Koh only granted the dismissal of part of the case pertaining to invasion of privacy and negligence - she allowed the plaintiffs to continue to pursue some claims relating to contracts.

Zoombombing and security concerns

The video-conferencing firm has long been criticised for its approach to its security.

Zoom logo seen displayed on a smartphone with a computer model of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the background.
Getty Images

One key issue that has led to some companies choosing to stop using the platform is the phenomena of "Zoombombing" incidents, where uninvited guests crash meetings to cause problems.

According to the New York Times, in April last year a virtual Chipotle event during the coronavirus lockdown was disrupted when a hacker entered and broadcast pornography to hundreds of attendees.

Zoom has also come under fire for security flaws, including a vulnerability that allowed an attacker to remove attendees from meetings, spoof messages from users and hijack shared screens. Another saw Mac users forced into calls without their knowledge.

On top of this, plaintiffs of the lawsuit accused the platform of misrepresenting its encryption protocol - transport encryption - as end-to-end encryption.

This means Zoom can access the video and audio of meetings, rather than the meeting's participants being the only ones able to decrypt communications.

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2021-08-01 20:45:33Z
52781767256760

One in five planning to make staff redundant as furlough tapers off - ITV News

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  1. One in five planning to make staff redundant as furlough tapers off  ITV News
  2. Covid: One in five firms plan job cuts as furlough tapers - survey  BBC News
  3. Fears many thousands could lose jobs as furlough scheme changes  Evening Standard
  4. New furlough changes from today as government support falls for 2million workers  The Mirror
  5. One in five businesses threaten to axe jobs as furlough support is cut  The Independent
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2021-08-01 13:29:37Z
52781766562990

Eggborough Power Station: Four towers demolished - BBC News

Smoke rising in the air as four towers are demolished
PA Media

Four of eight huge cooling towers have been demolished at a former coal-fired power station in North Yorkshire.

The 300ft (90m) high structures in Eggborough, near Selby, were brought down shortly after 08:00 BST as part of a plan to redevelop the site.

It stood for 50 years in an area where all four Yorkshire counties - North, South, East and West - meet.

The Yorkshire Day demolition was watched by spectators who were dotted in fields around the rural site.

Police had closed roads and 40 security guards patrolled a 350m exclusion zone while contractor DSM carried out the work during drizzly conditions.

Billy Young, a technical director at the company, thanked members of the community for their patience and said it had been "a successful demolition".

"We appreciate that a large number of Eggborough residents and businesses could have been disrupted by the work, but we have worked hard to communicate with them behind the scenes and by correspondence to minimise this in as much as practicably possible," he said.

Eggborough power station
Chris Allen

It started generating electricity in 1967 and produced enough to power the equivalent of Leeds and Sheffield combined.

A year after its closure, the site was acquired by the St Francis Group, which is planning an industrial and distribution park on the site after the remaining structures are demolished, including a 200m (660ft) high chimney.

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2021-08-01 12:44:41Z
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COVID-19: 'Many thousands' could lose jobs as changes to furlough scheme come into force - Sky News

There are fears "many thousands" of people will lose their jobs as the furlough scheme is gradually phased out - and the government is being urged to ensure those made redundant are given help to retrain.

Changes from today mean employers will be asked to contribute 20% towards the salaries of those whose wages are being subsidised by the state.

A survey suggests that one in five companies still using the furlough scheme is planning on letting staff go in response.

The Treasury is preparing to fully end the scheme by October.

Official data shows 1.9 million people were still furloughed by the end of June, a reduction from 2.4 million a month earlier.

Figures from HM Revenue and Customs also show those aged 65 and over make up the highest proportion of those still on furlough - and there are fears older workers could find it harder to secure alternative employment.

Jane Gratton from the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) said: "Today's changes to the furlough scheme will likely result in many thousands of people being released back into the labour market, as employers who are still struggling to recover from the recession are forced to make redundancies and cuts to working hours.

More on Covid-19

"With widespread skills shortages across the economy, some will find new jobs where their skills are in demand, while others will need to retrain for opportunities in a different sector.

"Whether furloughed workers are returning to the workplace or the wider labour market, it is crucial that employers and the government give them the support and training they need to be re-engaged and productive."

The BCC polled 250 businesses with employees still on furlough. Of those, 18% said they were now likelier to make staff redundant, while 25% would reduce working hours or move staff to part-time patterns.

In better news for the British workforce, almost 40% said the change would have no impact on the business.

The number of people on furlough has been dropping since January when 5.1 million workers were stuck at home.

But going into July, more than one in four employers still had some of their staff on furlough.

A government spokesman said: "Our Plan for Jobs is working, and has supported the livelihoods of workers throughout the pandemic with two million fewer people expected to become unemployed than forecast last year."

He added that it is right for furlough support to be tapered as the economy rebounds, and said current initiatives "are helping people of all ages find the skills they need to get back into work".

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2021-08-01 01:13:07Z
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‘Lenders won’t touch us - my home’s worth nothing' - BBC News

Emma Lee and family

The government's latest attempts to unlock parts of the property market paralysed by the cladding crisis have stalled, according to campaign groups.

An agreement between the High Street's biggest banks and the Ministry of Housing was supposed to pave the way for mortgages to be offered again on more than 800,000 flats in low and medium rise buildings that have been left unsellable after the Grenfell Tragedy in 2017.

But the BBC has learnt that banks are unlikely to change their policies until the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which advises property valuers, updates its specialist guidance.

Alex Dickin (Ipswich Cladiators)

However, in turn RICS has said it can't alter its position on the issue until the government changes its official fire safety advice; that could take until November according to those familiar with the process.

Alex Dickin, from campaign group Ipswich Cladiators, warns that many people remain stuck in a financially perilous situation.

"The government announcement has once again made no difference to the millions of leaseholders trapped in unsellable and mortgageable homes. We've yet to see any significant move from lenders," Mr Dickin, who's 28, told the BBC.

This is a problem of the government's own making. Previously, EWS1 survey forms were only required on the tallest tower blocks. Ministers inadvertently expanded the scope of the cladding crisis in January 2020 when they said residential blocks of any height should be checked for fire risks.

Mortgage lenders then began demanding fire surveys - known as EWS1 forms - from a much wider range of sellers.

Emma Lee

Emma Lee's home, in south London, is one of an estimated 3.2 million flats that has been left unsellable as a result.

The mother of two bought 50% of her one bed flat under shared ownership in 2008. Her block has four floors. A survey revealed problems with timber cladding and missing fire breaks; Ms Lee fears she will be left with a massive bill for work that may not be necessary.

"The genie is out of the bottle. What the government is now saying won't make any difference. No one wants to buy these flats with these problems, a lender won't touch us at the moment," said Ms Lee.

Research by a group of independent experts, commissioned by the government, concluded last month that there was no systematic fire risk in buildings below 18 metres.

The expert panel said that in most mid and low-rise blocks expensive repair work was unnecessary; instead the fire risk could be managed by installing alarm systems or sprinklers.

That brings little comfort to Ms Lee, who said 'extensive remediation works' are still planned for her block with residents facing 'devastating bills on the way and a real possibility of homelessness.'

She believes she has become a victim of the zero-risk approach from lenders.

For Jelena and Igor Solovjova the problem isn't the cladding on their building in Ipswich, but the insulation and plywood beneath it. When the couple tried to sell their property it was valued at nothing because it didn't have an ESW1 form.

Jelena and Igor Solovjova

Fixing the faults could run into tens of thousands of pounds. Mr Solovjova, 45, has multiple sclerosis and can only work part time. While his wife, Jelena, who is 35, is working three jobs to cover the increasing costs.

"This is stressful for us," she said. "We are disappointed with the current situation. Our trust in government has been shaken, we are confused as to why the government compounds things by not achieving anything and doesn't appear to understand the crisis, our emotions are mixed."

The housing secretary told parliament last month that major lenders had agreed to swiftly change their rules; the Solovjovas are now hoping their building, which is under 18 metres, will now be reassessed.

But while banks, including HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group, have welcomed the announcement from the Mr Jenrick, the BBC understands it will not change their policies in the short term.

UK Finance, which represents the banking industry, said until RICS guidance and the government's official advice is updated "lenders will continue to be guided by surveyors' expert opinions when a EWS1 form is required for medium and low-rise blocks of flats".

That's left leaseholders like Georgie Hulme, who lives on the third floor of a low-rise block in south Manchester, feeling angry and trapped. Inspections of her building after the Grenfell Tower tragedy revealed problems including dangerous cladding.

Georgie Hulme

Ms Hulme doubts a change to fire safety guidance will make any difference to her and thousands of others who have already been dragged into this crisis.

"All these issues have now been flagged up, how can they all now just be ignored and buildings under 18 metres be deemed as safe?" she said.

"If you wanted to sell, who would buy any of these flats? I can't see a huge demand. It is impossible to know between the government, manufacturers, developers, managing agents, who can be trusted in this horrendous situation?"

Ms Hulme, 42, who has disabilities and can't work, now fears bankruptcy. Her building is not eligible for any government funding to make it safe.

"For someone like myself who's disabled and on benefits, even if this means that technically I could borrow on the value of my property, the reality is not the case, as nobody would lend to someone in my situation," she told the BBC.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government said in a statement: "We are committed to correcting the present market failure and supporting leaseholders to sell their properties should they wish to do so."

"The view from the independent experts is that there is no evidence of a systemic risk of fire in blocks of flats, but excessive industry caution is leaving many leaseholders in lower risk buildings unable to sell, or facing bills for work which is often not necessary.

"This must stop and, in line with the expert advice, we've set out that EWS1 forms should not be requested for buildings below 18 metres."

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2021-07-31 23:14:40Z
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